We know three things. First, the cancellations were odd. Second, the insistence that he was not ill was also odd. Third, the Kremlin did nothing to allay concerns about Putin's status. The Russians had to know that they were not allaying concerns; denying that he was ill but giving no alternative explanation for the cancellations seemed strange as well.

The confusion in the Kremlin appears to be a power struggle within between those loyal to Putin and those who wish to oust him from last weeks murder of Nemtsov. That seems as likely as anything at this point.

Stratfor, Forbes, Time...all these news sites have chimed in on the mystery. Somethings up, but like the Cold War days, no one knows exactly what. welcome to the 1960's.